Heads in the Clouds
by mon-ra
Summary: Shortly after the events in the Tower, Carroll the Cloud Girl finds herself trapped on the ground. Now it's up to Finn and Jake to help her to return to the sky.


**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ADVENTURE TIME  
A/N: This story takes place right after 'The Tower'**

"Finn, hey what's it like up there!?" Carroll yelled to the boy on top of the tower. "I think can turn into space ice, or something." Carroll wait for a few seconds but no answer. "Hey are you dead?" she asked bluntly. All of a sudden this strange object flew past her going all the way to the top of the tower. Carroll squinted trying to see what's going on up there, but as best as she could tell, the object picked Finn up and carried him back to the surface. "Hum, I guess he won't be needing this anymore," Carroll said to herself looking up the tower. Normally Carroll would just try to forget this whole event and continue drifting as clouds do. But the thought of becoming space ice and leaving this planet of swimmers forever was just too tempting to ignore. Taking a deep breath and mustering all the courage she had, Carroll started climbing the tower.

"_Baby's climbing this tower into space,  
Space is where she hope to turn into ice.  
Baby's climbing this tower than Finn built,  
To leave the life she hates behind."_

Carroll sang happily as she inched ever closer to the top. As she neared the top, she could feel herself freezing over. "Yes, I'm becoming space ice! Just going to drift in the infinite void where there will be no swimmers!" she cheered.

Meanwhile down on the bottom of the tower. "Care to do the honors?" Jake asked.

"Yes I do," Finn said pulling a plank off the tower. As he did the tower fell like a giant tree, smashing the Candy Kingdom and everything else in its path!

Back on the top. "Almost there," Carroll struggling to reach the top. As her body started to freeze, it became harder and harder for her to move. Just then the tower started to topple over. "What the? No, no, NOOOOOO!" Carroll screamed as the tower fell taking her with it. As Carroll fell through the skies, the friction caused by her reentry started to melt her newly frozen body. "Oh no, no, please not again," Carroll cried as she hit the ground becoming a small puddle of water. "NOOOOO!" she screamed. The good news is that she seemed to have landed in an isolated area, so she won't have to worry about swimmers. The bad news, it was well shaded and very cool, meaning that it will take forever for her to evaporate. Also being water again meant that she lost all of her self mobility, so she was stuck there. All she can do is wait and hope that no one will disturb her while she's trying to become a cloud again.

Days past, or it felt like days, hard to tell when you're just sitting there doing nothing. Then one day she heard a familiar voice in the distance. "Man I sure hope this new dungeon Choose Goose told us about is worth it," the familiar voice said.

"No kidding, we had to climb three mountains just to reach it!" a second voice complained.

It didn't take Carroll long to recognize the voice, mainly because she has a very short list of acquaintances. "Hey Finn, is that you?" she yelled.

"Huh, who's there?" Finn demanded getting into fighting stance. "Are you evil?"

"It's me Carroll," Carroll responded.

"Carroll?" Finn recognizing the voice now. "Where are you?"

"Right here," Carroll directing them to her location.

Finn walked over to the puddle and saw the outline of her face in the water. "What are you doing here? I thought you hated being water?"

"Uh yeah, but that stupid tower of yours knocked me down here and turned me back into water!" Carroll complained. She deliberately dismissed tell him about her attempt to climb the tower, because she felt that detail was unimportant. "So since this is partly your fault, you've got to help me get back home!" she demanded.

"Of course we will," Finn promised. Not just because he felt responsible for her situation, but because he felt it's his duty as a hero.

"What? But Finn what about the dungeon?" Jake whined. He hated the idea of coming all this way for nothing.

"Please Jake, it's my fault she's like this now." Finn pointed out. "I owe it to her to help her."

"Alright," Jake conceded. Turning his front paw into a bucket, Jake scooped Carroll up. Finn assisted by using his towel to absorb the remaining water and wringing it into the Jake Bucket. After collecting all the water, the boys prepared to return home.

"Hey wait!" Carroll yelled.

"Whaaaaat?" Jake groaned.

"There are still some of my water in there," Carroll claimed.

"Where? I don't see any." Jake said stretching his eyes out and examining every centimeter.

"There, that rock." Carroll pointing to a small moist rock. "There's still three drops in there, I can feel it."

"Oh come on, it's only three drops!" Jake complained.

"Hey they are still a part of me, you know!" Carroll shot back. "How would you like it if someone ripped a piece of you off...oh," Carroll immediately regretted saying that seeing Finn's arm, or rather lack of an arm. "Finn I..." Carroll trying to apologized, but can't find the words.

Finn didn't respond and simply pick up the rock. He then squeezed it with all his might he managed to get all three drops into the bucket; but he squeezed so hard that his hand started bleeding and a single drop of blood also fell into the bucket. "Oh Carroll, I'm sorry, here let me get that out." Finn apologized trying to remove his blood.

"Forget about it," Carroll insisted, blushing at Finn's sincerity. She never expected to find anyone who'd be willing to bleed for her like this. The trio traveled all the way back to the Candy Kingdom which is still under repair. Even though this is all Finn's fault, and he did offer to help make it right; Princess Bubblegum insisted that he needn't bother, mainly because she was so upset with him and didn't want to see him for the next couple of days. As they walked through the forest, Carroll couldn't help but feel nostalgic about this place.

"Hey Finn, you want to stop by the ole' swimming hole?" Jake asked. Finn almost immediately started making shushing gestures.

"Huh? What swimming hole?" Carroll curiosity perk up.

"Oh it's this nice pool of water. Finn and I just love splashing in there." Jake explained completely missing Finn's attempts to tell him to shut up. "In fact here we are," Jake said excitedly.

"I knew it! I knew you are swimmers!" Carroll accused. Looking at the swimming hole that Jake was pointing to she finally recognized this place. "Hey wait a minute, this is where I used to live!"

"Say what?" Finn and Jake gasped. They weren't expect that.

"Yeah, I remember these trees, these grass, that hole that crazy guy buried himself in! He's the reason I'm like this!" Carroll ranted.

"What do you mean?" Finn asked.

"Before I was just an average ordinary pond. An unthinking, unliving, body of water. Then out of nowhere this creep just flies in here, and takes a drink out of me, and before I knew it, poof, I'm alive." Carroll explained.

'_The Life Giving Magi!' _both Finn and Jake realized at the same time. Recalling how he accidentally brought Finn's hat to life.

"I hated being alive, all these people jumping in me, swimming, kicking, getting me up their noses!" Carroll continued. "But the worst of all were these two jokers! Swimming in circles trying to make a whirlpool. I almost did that, you know. Made a whirlpool, wanting to drown them!"

"Heh, heh," Finn and Jake chuckled nervously. "So why didn't you?"

"What would be the point," Carroll shrugged. "Even if I did drown them, then what? I'd have their bodies rotting in me. No thank you, but that was the last straw. So I evaporated myself to get out of there. To go up there as a cloud, I was finally free, finally alone, and finally happy." Carroll sighed.

"Man this girl is messed up," Jake noted.

"Jake!" Finn scolded. "I swear on my honor I will do everything in my power to get you back home," he promised. After hearing how he messed with Carroll's life he wanted to make it up to her any way he can.

"Yeah me too," Jake said more out of habit rather than wanting to help.

"Thanks guys, but could you please collect more of my original water?" Carroll asked. Jake extended his leg into the water and turned himself into a hose and pump. Finn operating the hand pump, sucked up most of the water. "Perfect, that's enough." Carroll said. Finn stopped pumping and Jake stretched his body to form a large walking tub.

After arriving back at the tree house, Finn started pouring Carroll into all the pots, pans, buckets, and teapots they had in order to boiling her back into steam. While he was doing that Jake was on the roof, stretching his arm and using it as a lasso to bring cloud houses down to see if they were Carroll's.

"Ugh, this is taking forever!" Carroll complained as the water is only now starting to bubble.

"I'm Sorry, but we only have this one stove and" Finn apologized.

"Forget about it," Carroll said looking at the flower on his right arm. "So did you rip off your dad's arm?" Carroll asked.

"Huh, no. You were right, I needed to stop obsessing about revenge," Finn said.

"Yeah, just turn your back on the world and just hate everything about it," Carroll preached.

"What? No!" Finn shaking his head. "My friends helped me deal with my issues," Finn said.

"Friends ugh," Carroll scoffed. "I don't have any and I don't want any." This made Finn feel bad for her. It's no wonder Carroll just wants to leave everything behind. She has no one to help her cope with her problems, unlike him. "Hey Ooo to Finn!" Carroll said snapping him back to reality. "I think that pot is almost done," Carroll said pointing to a near empty pot.

"Oh right," Finn said pouring more of Carroll's water into the pot.

"Pay attention will you. I don't want to spend a minute longer than I have too." Carroll complained. As the boiling continued, Carroll amassed half her upper body. While not complete, she could now wander away from the stove. Well only about five feet away. While exploring the tree house, as much as she could, she spotted a picture of Flame Princess. "Hey who's that? Your girlfriend? She looks hot." Carroll teased.

"Ex-girlfriend," Finn clarified. "I did something stupid and now she doesn't want to have anything to do with me," he said sadly.

"Oh I'm sorry," Carroll apologized.

"Naw it's fine, she's happy now. Besides, I have Jake with me." Finn said trying to put up a brave face, but Carroll could see that he's hurting.

"Look Finn I..."

"Phew, cloud fishing is thirsty work!" Jake said walking into the kitchen, and started checking the fridge.

"So did you find my house yet?" Carroll asked.

"Not yet, I just came in for a drink," he said. But much to his disappointment, he found that they were all out of drinks. "Great now I have to go to the store," Jake complained.

"Here," Carroll handing Jake a cup of water. "If it can get you to find my house faster, you can have this."

"Thanks," Jake said appreciatively, before taking a sip.

Finn looked at the glass curiously. Where could Carroll get that water? The sink was too far, and the only other source of water was... "Jake you're drinking Carroll!" Finn realized.

"Wha...?" Jake choked.

"It's alright, call it my thanks for helping me out." Carroll assured them.

"But doesn't this freak you out or anything?" Finn asked. "I know I would be freaking out if I saw someone eating and/or drinking me."

"Kid, I hate it when people swim in me, but I don't have a problem when people drink me. It's the circle of life, or the food chain, or whatever." Carroll said. Finn was feeling confused by this, but Jake seemed to accepted it.

"Okay then," Jake said continuing drinking.

"So you're fine with Jake drinking you?" Finn asked.

"Only part of me," Carroll clarified. "My foot to be exact."

Hearing that he's drinking Carroll's foot, Jake spat the water into Finn's face! "Lady you are sick!" Jake accused, desperately wiping his tongue.

"Hey after giving you a piece of me, I'd think you'd be a little more appreciative!" Carroll said angrily.

"Yeah Jake, you should be more considerate." Finn scolded wiping his face off. "You shouldn't waste water or other people's generosity," Finn lectured wringing the rag he was using to return the water back into the glass.

"Fine if you feel that way then you drink her cool refreshing foot!" Jake challenged handing Finn the glass. Finn hesitated for a second before drinking the glass of water.

"Whoa, not bad. I think this is the best water I've ever drank." Finn said honestly.

"Uh, sure whatever." Carroll blushed. No one has ever complimented her like that before. Then again she's never really talked to anyone before or offered a piece of herself to drink.

"Alright, Carroll I'm sorry I spat out your foot. It was wrong of me." Jake apologized though he still felt justified.

"Just find my house so that I can go home," Carroll demanded.

"Yeah, yeah," Jake grumbled as he returned to the roof. He hated being bossed around like that, especially by someone they are trying to help.

A few hours later, they had finally boiled the last of Carroll's water allowing her to fully form as a cloud being again. Since they collected more water from her original pond, she was now taller. Now she's about as tall as Finn. "Finally I can move again," Carroll said.

"Congrats," Finn applauded. Seeing the flower on Finn's stub made her feel bad for him. Especially after all he did to help her.

"Hey Finn, I want you to have this," Carroll said pulling her arm off and offering it to him.

"No I can't," Finn shaking his head. "Don't you need that?"

"No worries, I can grow a new one," Carroll assured him making a new arm. Of course this caused her to shrink a little so now she's 6 inches shorter than Finn. "Call it a 'gift' for helping me," Carroll insisted. Finn thought about it for a second, while heroes never accept payment for doing something good or heroic, it is rude to refuse a gift. So Finn graciously accepted her arm and placed it over his flower stub. Almost instantly the cloud arm adjusted itself so that it resembled Finn's old arm.

"Cool," Finn said as he tested his latest appendage. While he can control it better than any of the other arms that the other princesses gave him, it is still a cloud arm and can barely hold on to anything. Making it almost as useless as having no arm.

"You hate it don't you," Carroll said seeing the look of disappointment in his face.

"No, no, it's great it's just that," Finn paused trying to think of something to say. As his anxieties started to build up, the cloud arm started to react. Turning dark and grey, just like a storm cloud, then a lightning bolt discharged from the arm. Only it wasn't a normal lightning bolt, it was a lightning sword! "What the?" Finn pondered as he swung the sword around, soon the sounds of crackling air echoed around the room. Finn then took a slice of some old junk, and while the lightning sword didn't slice as cleanly as the grass sword, it was clearly very powerful. Causing the objects to explode upon contact! Finn then started concentrating and found that he can dispel and create the lightning sword at will. Almost exactly like the grass sword! "Mathematical, I love it!" Finn said excitedly as he continued to make and dispel his new sword.

"Really?" Carroll said hopefully.

"Absolutely!" Finn said. He was so overjoyed with his new arm that he couldn't help but hug her in gratitude. Carroll blushed being wrapped in Finn's, and technically her, arms. She never could have imagine that a hug could feel so good. Giving into the moment, Carroll leaned closer to Finn wanting to know what a kiss would feel like. Finn could see what she wanted, and did not hesitate to kiss her on the lips. She's heard it said that when two people kiss they feel sparks, and in her case that it literally true. Her body began building up a charge, zapping Finn in the face and knocking him to the floor!

"Oh no, I'm sorry!" Carroll apologized checking to see if he's still alive.

"Wow, I didn't think anyone but Flame Princess could kiss like that!" Finn smiled clearly enjoying the burning sensation in his face. He then looked admiringly at Carroll, again causing her to blush. The two started to draw closer for a second kiss when...

"Finn! I think I got her house!" Jake's voice yelled destroying the mood. The two immediately hurried to the roof where they saw Jake reeling in a cloud house. "What happened to you?" Jake commenting on Finn's burned face.

"Oh nothing!" Finn insisted, wiping his face. "So is that it?" Finn asked Carroll.

"Yup, that's mine," Carroll confirmed. Finn assisted her back onto her cloud.

"So will I ever see you again?" Finn asked. Jake's ears perked up, picking up on the tone of Finn's voice, he knew something was going on with his brother.

"I go where the wind takes me, but I doubt it since I live up in the stratosphere and you guys are all the way down here." Carroll said bluntly.

"Oh okay," Finn sounding very disappointed.

"But hey, maybe I'll you know, rain down here every once in awhile. You know if I feel like it." Carroll blushed.

"That's cool," Finn holding her to that. Jake then released the cloud and Carroll slowly started to rise up. Finn watched and waved goodbye with his new cloud arm until he couldn't see her anymore. Even though the cloud house disappeared from view, Finn still stared longingly up into the sky.

"So Finn, did something happen between you two?" Jake getting into all gossip mode.

"What, why would you think that?" Finn avoiding the question.

"Don't play with me! I can tell that something is up!" Jake claimed.

"Uh, hey check this out!" Finn changing the subject, started showing Jake his new arm and lightning sword.

"Wow, that is awesome!" Jake said completely forgetting about what he was talking about earlier.

"Yeah I can't wait to start slaying evil with it," Finn said.

"Algebraic! I'll make some lunch going before we head out." Jake said stretching down into the kitchen. As Jake left, Finn reached over and grasped his cloud arm. Carroll may be gone, but at least he will always have a part of her with him. He just wished that he could give her a little something as well.

Up in the sky, Carroll watched the tree house as it got smaller and smaller, and soon was no longer distinguishable with anything else on the ground. Going back inside her house she noticed how empty and quiet it was. Just the way she likes it, or rather how she used to like it. It has only been less than a minute and she's all ready miss having someone to talk to. Carroll peeled back a layer of cloud on her chest to reveal a small red stain over her cloud heart. The drop of blood that Finn accidentally spilled into her. Carroll smiled, content with knowing that even though he's gone, she at least will always have a piece of him inside her.

**END**


End file.
